The need to prevent re-use of syringes is widely recognized in the medical field since unnecessary exposure to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and hepatitis continues to be a problem. In addition, industrial workers who use syringes filled with dangerous fluids in their work are susceptible to be stuck with an exposed needle. The most common procedure done in hospitals or medical offices is to give an injection and withdraw blood or other body fluids from a patient. Syringes are generally used for this purpose. One of the drawbacks of the current procedure is that after use the needle has to be recapped. The majority of reported cases of occupational exposure to contamination or hazardous fluids is due to needle sticks. Therefore, needle sticks are a cause of transmission of diseases to medical and industrial workers. Needle sticks occur not only on failure to recap needles but also during the process of recapping needles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,311 discloses an insert for supporting a double ended needle during a blood collection procedure which is translatable mounted within a cylinder for retracting the anterior needle into the cylinder on completion of the procedure to prevent needle stick while the posterior needle remains continually shielded against needle stick by the insert. An anterior lock position stabilizes the double ended needle during the blood collection procedure and a posterior lock position retains both ends of the needle shielded. A ramp may be associated with the posterior lock position to prevent further translation of the insert and reuse of the holder. For a reusable holder embodiment, the used double ended needle is retracted, safely enclosed and locked inside the cylinder. The anterior end of the cylinder is adapted for receiving the open end of a conventional needle shield to permit gripping of the needle supporting hub and disengagement of the needle from the insert without exposure to needle stick. A replacement needle may then be mounted in the insert and the holder reused.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,702 discloses a shield for a syringe mounted hypodermic needle which utilizes a translucent sheath. The sheath extends over the barrel to one position adjacent the barrel flange and to another position or beyond the needle point. The sheath may be distinctly stopped at these positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,405 discloses a single use tamper resistant syringe having a locking member which prevents retraction of the plunger after the latter has been fully depressed and discharging the contents of the syringe. The proximal end of the plunger is provided with an abutment and the inside of the barrel is provided with dogs which are biased inwardly. When the plunger is depressed and the abutment slides by the dogs, the latter extend into the barrel to block retraction of the plunger. Tampering of the locking arrangement prior to use of the syringe is prevented by providing a detachable piston cap at the distal end of the plunger so that when the plunger is removed prior to use the cap is dislodged by said dogs and remains within the barrel of the syringe thereby rendering inoperative the syringe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,225 discloses a blood collection and/or injection device includes a double-ended medical needle including a cannula having opposite pointed ends, a hub fitted over the cannula, a rubber sheath optionally fitted over an end portion of the cannula, a cylindrical holder having an opening defined in one end thereof, the end portion of the cannula which is optionally covered with the rubber sheath being adapted to be inserted into the opening with the hub held in the opening by the cylindrical holder, and an evacuated blood collection tube or syringe adapted to be inserted into the cylindrical holder through an opening defined in the opposite end of the cylindrical holder and pierced by the end portion of the cannula. The hub has spreading teeth, and the cylindrical holder includes a holder casing having chuck teeth spreadable radially outwardly by the spreading teeth of the hub. The cylindrical holder also includes a ring having recesses for receiving the spreading teeth, and a cap engaging portion is provided on the ring for receiving a cap thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,118 discloses an automatic needle-retracting syringe in which the needle automatically retracts into the barrel of the syringe without the user doing anything. This typically occurs automatically after a predetermined time lapsed from dispensing a liquid injectant from the syringe. Even if the used syringe is simply thrown onto the ground, the needle will automatically be retracted into the barrel after the period of time, such as 30 to 60 seconds, after the injection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,899 discloses a syringe which comprises a shaft having appendix to which a plunger slidable within the syringe cylinder is sealingly connected. At that end at which the hypodermic needle is mounted the cylinder comprises a hole into which a hollow element having a shaped element integral therewith and projecting into the cylinder is inserted and locked. This shaped element becomes securely coupled to a portion shaped complementary to it provided at the adjacent free end of the plunger carried by the shaft to prevent the re-use of the syringe after the shaft has been lowered to firmly engage the shaped portion with the shaped element projecting from the cylinder since withdrawal of the shaft would cause disengagement of the plunger from the shaped appendix of the shaft.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a syringe with a retractable needle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a syringe with a single use application.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a retractable needle syringe that contains a self contained specimen container.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tamper proof retractable needle syringe.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a safe holder for any vacuum tube sampling system for multiple extraction of specimen.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a single syringe design which can be used as an injector, extractor and for multiple evacuation.
Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiments have been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.